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Renowned fashion journalist Elsa Klensch recently passed away at the age of 92 in New York City. The news of her demise was announced by CNN, where she hosted a weekly fashion design TV series. The program, titled Styles with Elsa Klensch, was on-air for over two decades.
The Australian-born media personality has worked with renowned fashion-centric publications like Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. She later also served as the fashion editor of the New York Post.
In 1980, Klensh joined Cable News Network (CNN) and served as the producer and host for her disruptive show, credited as one of the first significant platforms for fashion news. At the time, her show briefly peaked amongst CNN's highest-rated weekend feature-news programs.
What is known about the late fashion journalism icon Elsa Klensch?
Elsa Klensch was an Australian-American fashion journalist best known for her career as a novelist and media personality. The New South Wales native started her journalism career in the late 1950s with the Sydney Daily Telegraph. At the time, she was reportedly studying Journalism at Sydney University.
Throughout the early 1960s, she worked in multiple publications and organizations as a public relations officer and editor. Later, in the mid-1960s, Elsa Klensch moved to Hong Kong as Editor and Publications Section Chief for the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. There, she also helped organize fashion events and promote trade magazines.
After getting married in 1966, Klensch moved to New York, where she worked for Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and The New York Post. The fashion journalist made her first television appearance in 1978. In the same year, Klensch reportedly got renowned French fashion-designer Yves Saint Laurent to appear on-screen. Laurent was allegedly not fond of television appearances and only agreed to Klensch's choice as a favor.
Two years later, Elsa Klensch joined CNN. According to a 1993 report by EW, her show reached almost 2.5 million households at the time. As a journalist, she would travel to multiple fashion shows in fashion capitals like Paris, Milan, Tokyo, and London.
On her show in 2000, Klensch reportedly said,
"When we started, maybe for the first five years, we were the only television crew (at fashion shows.) Designers really didn't understand the concept of television."
Condolences rush in following the news of Elsa Klensch's death
Several followers honored her legacy and paid tribute to the late fashion journalist on Twitter. Numerous tweets claimed that Klensch was the inspiration behind their journey in the fashion world.
Many people credited Klensch and her show for having instilled an interest in fashion design. Following her departure from the CNN show, Klensch published multiple mystery novels. The nonagenarian received a lot of recognition for her contributions to fashion reportage during her lifetime.
In 1988, she received the Order of Merit from the Italian Government. She was given an honorary doctorate from International Fine Arts College in Miami two years later. Before her demise, she also served as the former vice president of the Fashion Group International.
